


Origin

by orphan_account



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Deal With the Devil, Fear of Death, Mentions of Blood, Multi, Origin Story, Songfic, Supernatural Elements, Suspense, dark themes, kind of, time jumps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-27 05:30:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12574752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Another laugh. Tyler's skin crawls. "You know exactly who I am, Tyler. You summoned me, after all." The figure walks a little closer. "As for my name, it doesn't matter."





	Origin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FallDownToFandom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallDownToFandom/gifts).



**December 2005**  
**Unknown location**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

The car jostles down the pitch black bumpy gravel road. He feels like he's been going down this same one for a hour now, blaring whatever shitty music is on the only channel his radio is picking up here, trying to stay awake.

It's almost three am so that's not an easy feat.  _The devil's hour._  He rolls his eyes at how lame that sounds but the instructions are what they are so he doesn't question it.

Tyler reaches over to the passenger seat, grabbing the ratty piece of paper on it.

_In between the only two trees on the road. They'll be across from each other, lined up perfectly._

He's starting to seriously doubt he'll come across any trees.

Just as the clock strikes three, the radio goes out. "Piece of crap." Tyler's pressing every button in frustration. He looks up and he's driving past two trees, just like the paper said. He slams on his brakes and puts the car in reverse. He backs it up until right before the tree line. 

"Well I'll be damned." Tyler grabs his jacket out of the back seat and puts it on. He grabs the paper and a Tupperware container off of the passenger seat before getting out. "At least the idiot wasn't lying about this part." He mutters to himself, teeth chattering as the cold air hits him. He leaves the car running so he can have the light from the headlights.

Tyler walks and stops in between the two trees before going up to one. They are massive. He's never quite seen trees like this before. The peeling bark looks almost red. He feels a shiver down his spine as he slides his hand down the trunk. His hand recoils on what feels like instinct, telling him to leave.

Leave now.

He pushes the urge down as he walks back into the center in between them. He kicks gravel beneath his shoe, pushing it the side until there is a large smooth circle.

Once satisfied, he places the paper on the ground next to the circle, placing a small rock on top so it doesn't blow away. Tyler takes a paint brush out of his pocket and opens up the container. With a trembling hand, he dips the brush into the red liquid.

It's blood. He feels sick.

Rabbit blood.

_The blood of a mammal._

Had to be done. Tyler looks down at the symbol drawn on the paper. Looks easy enough at least.

He begins with one straight vertical line, re-dipping the brush when needed. Next, he paints a smaller horizontal dash next to it. Last, he paints on the final line. A diagonal line, matching the length of the vertical line next to the dash. 

He closes the container and throws it and the brush somewhere in the grass on the side of the road. Tyler grabs the paper from the ground and steps back, eyes darting from the symbol on the paper to the one drawn on the ground.

Looks simple, he thinks. Almost too simple. He's not sure what he's expecting to happen but nothing is so far. "Hello!" He yells out to no one.

Silence.

Of course it's silent. What did he actually think was going to happen? That this would actually be real? The word of a very drunk star quarterback of Ohio State, the one he was blowing the backseat of his car three months ago. Freaking perfect. Three am on his birthday and he's painting gravel in the middle of nowhere like a moron.

Tyler turns around, back to the car, giving one last look around before he is just going to give up and leave. He doesn't even stand a chance to not be scared shitless when he turns back towards the car.

There's someone standing right in front of it.

Tyler startles and flies back onto the ground, landing hard on his ass. The figure laughs. "Get up, Johnny boy. You don't have to be scared."

"It's Tyler." He says, standing up slowly, eyes not leaving the figure in front of him. "And I'm not scared." He knows. He knows deep down to not to trust whoever this is. Whoever just so happens to be out here at the same time as he is.

Tyler is naive.

The figure clicks it's tongue. "Tyler, I like that. It suits you." Tyler can't see it's face. The headlights shining make the face look blurry, almost. As he walks closer, one feature stands out very easily.

Red eyes.

Tyler stills, breath catching in his throat where a hard lump is forming. He doesn't even know how the words come out of his mouth next. "And who are you? What's your name?"

Another laugh. Tyler's skin crawls. "You know exactly who I am, Tyler. You summoned me, after all." The figure walks a little closer. "As for my name, it doesn't matter."

Tyler can't breathe. The air begins to feel a little thin going in and out of his lungs. The figure's face is still blurry, even closer. _Run, run, run_ , screams in his head, begging him to listen.

"The devil." It tastes like he imagines fear tasting like as it rolls over his tongue and out of his mouth.

It groans. "Ugh. I've never liked that name much. It sounds so, cartoonish at this point, no?" It pulls something out of it's pocket. "Like a bedtime story boogeyman."

Tyler hears a clicking noise from the direction in front of him, shiny metal now glistening in the figure's hands. A knife. He's going to die. "Are you gonna kill me?" Tyler's eyes don't leave the knife as he slowly steps back.

"Of course not." Tyler sees what vaguely resembles a smile. "Not today." Every step Tyler takes back, the figure takes one forward, twirling the blade in their hands. "I'm not playing follow the leader all night." Tyler stops. "We either get this done or I'm leaving."

Tyler nods his head. Tyler is stupid.

"Great. Now let's move this back to over the symbol." The figure walks to it and looks it over. "Mammal's blood?"

Tyler nods his head. Tyler should leave.

"And today is your birthday?"

Tyler nods his head. Tyler's dead.

The figure holds the blade up and brings it to one of its hands, closing the blade into a fist and slicing. Tyler winces. "Three drops of blood." It says as it squeezes the drops onto the center of the symbol.

It holds the knife out to Tyler. He shouldn't take it. He does. He wipes the blood off of the knife onto his hoodie. He hears "rude." being mumbled in front of him. Tyler repeats the figure's actions until there are drops of blood falling from his hand.

He hands the knife back over. "So now what?"

The figure takes the knife and closes it before pocketing it. "Tell me Tyler. How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Practically a newborn baby." The figure says, smiling. "So, what is a baby like yourself wanting so badly that you are out here right now, with me?"

Tyler nervously shuffles foot to foot while eyeing the ground. He notices the symbol has changed from red to blue. Strange. "I want purpose. I don't know. Maybe this can be the beginning of my meaning. I want to help others maybe."

The figure crosses it's arms, looking painfully bored. "So, a famous doctor or scientist...an inventor?"

Tyler shakes his head. "I want to be a famous musician."

The figure perks up. "Hm. Interesting. Very interesting. A little _the devil went down to Georgia_ but who am I to judge."

"So you'll do it then?" Tyler bites his bottom lip, hard. He tastes blood, bile from his throat mixing in with it.

The figure jesters down to the ground in front of them. The symbol is gone. Tyler's eyes widen and he looks up. "It's already done."

 _What did he do_? Instant regret floods him. Tyler's bending over and emptying out the contents of his stomach. Legs are buckling as he stands back up fully.

He wills his legs to move him to the car.

The figure is laughing, loudly. Tyler's eardrums feel like they are going to explode. "Remember," he hears as he opens the door, "twelve years to the day and it will be time to pay. You're mine, Tyler." More laughter. "But hey, I really like you. You may be seeing me a lot sooner!"

Gravel kicks out from under the tires as he does a quick u-turn and speeds forward as fast he can go. Tyler glances in the rearview mirror. The trees and the figure are gone. He slows the car down a little, his heartbeat not slowing down with it.

His face is hot with tears. "I'm sorry, God. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry." He's calling out to no one again, screaming to an empty sky.

Once he finally cries himself to sleep, he dreams of red eyes and a blurry face.

 

 **May 2010**  
**The Newport Music Hall**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

Tyler wipes the sweat off of his face and looks out into the crowd. The show just ended and they are already disbanding. Not many people try to stick around to talk to them so he's a bit surprised to see someone standing by the stage, eagerly waiting.

Tyler starts helping Chris and Nick pack everything up, trying to hurry to not keep the fan waiting too long. He makes a pass in front of the stage at one point and the guy stops him. "Hey man, really quick, my name's Josh. I just wanted to say it was an awesome show, so good. I was blown away."

Tyler smiles. The guy looks really familiar to him but he can't quite place it. It isn't until he sees Josh wave at Chris that he suddenly realises who he is. "Oh, you're that Josh. You work with Chris right?"

Josh smiles back. "Yeah. I play in a band too called House of Heroes."

Tyler winds up a cable he picks up from the floor. "I've heard of you guys. You're pretty good." Tyler throws the cable to Chris. "Look, we need to finish up but we should hang out soon or something."

Josh puts his hands in his pockets and rocks on the back of his heels a little. "Cool. Uh, Chris has my number so maybe just text me or something and let me know when you're free."

Tyler pulls his phone from his pocket and hands it to Josh. "Here just put in your number. The less I have to deal with old man Salih, the better."

Josh laughs as he puts in his number.

Tyler feels bile in his throat.

 

 **May 2010**  
**Tyler's house**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

Tyler answers the door on the third knock, hoping the knocking didn't wake anyone up. "Hey man, good to see you again." He moves out the way. "Come in." He closes the door as quietly as he can. "Everyone else is asleep so we can just go to my room so we don't wake anyone up."

Josh mumbles "Cool." as they make their way up the stairs.

They sit on Tyler's bed the whole night, talking about music, their hopes and dreams. Tyler hasn't been able to take his eyes off of Josh the whole time. He seems to spark something in him. Motivation and...fear? The second one confuses him but he feels alive talking to him.

Tyler is watching over Josh's shoulder as he flips through the notebook Tyler's been writing new music and ideas in.

Josh stops on a page, something catching his attention. "Hey, what's this symbol thing?"

Tyler snatches the notebook away. "I..it's"

Josh looks regretful and confused. "I'm sorry I didn't realise it was personal or something. I was just gonna say it is really interesting. Would make a cool band logo."

Tyler opens the notebook and turns it to the page. He traces the outline of the symbol with a finger. "Yeah? You really think so?" He couldn't. Could he really use that symbol? It's not like he can escape it anymore than the dreams. "You don't think it's a little cult looking or anything right?"

Josh laughs, loudly. "Nah, not at all."

Tyler's eardrums hurt.

 

 **May 2011**  
**Tyler's basement**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

Tyler sits across from Josh. Nick is supposed to join them soon. Even though it's a bittersweet day, Tyler can't stop smiling. "I guess with Chris posting his goodbye, it's kind of official. The new Twenty one pilots."

Josh cocks an eyebrow at him. "You seem awfully cheerful for someone that just lost a bandmate."

Tyler smiles even wider. "Well I can't say I really lost anyone with you here, now can I?" He mindlessly runs his fingers through his hair, leaning back in the chair more. "Can't believe we finally get to play together. It's surreal."

Josh smiles back at him. "I'm in a band with my best friend. This is the dream."

Tyler is naive.

 

 **June 2011**  
**Ichthus festival**  
**Wilmore, Kentucky**

It's almost midnight and Josh, Tyler and Mark are on their way to a show. Mark is asleep in the backseat and it's Josh's turn to drive. Tyler's in the passenger seat, fighting back tears for the hundredth time today.

Josh puts his hand on Tyler's knee. "Hey, you okay?"

Tyler nods his head. Tyler isn't okay.

Josh sighs and swigs back the rest of his redbull. "Look, is this about Nick leaving too?"

A single tear has broken the barrier and slides down his face. He quickly wipes it, hoping Josh didn't see it first. "I'm not...its not just Nick leaving...I think we can do it, just us but." Tyler bites back more tears threatening to escape. "Nevermind."

Josh fumbles around Tyler's lap until he finds his hand. He interlaces their fingers. "Tyler I'm not gonna leave too. I promise you. We are in this together. I'm not going anywhere, ever."

Tyler blushes but also feels a shiver down his spine, instinct telling him he should leave.

Leave now.

Tyler doesn't. He has fallen in love.

 

 **October 2012**  
**St. Patrick Catholic Church**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

Tyler shifts nervously in the dark tiny little confessional box. It's a little more claustrophobic than he thought it would be.

"When was your last confession?" The priest on the other side of the screen asks.

"I'm not Catholic.. I..I hope that's okay but I just desperately need help and didn't know where else to go."

"It is fine, child. Just go on." The reassurance in the priest's voice fuels him, gives him the confidence to continue.

Tyler takes a deep breath. He knows already how crazy and awful this is going to sound but he has no choice. He doesn't want to die in five years. To leave his family and especially to leave Josh. "A few years ago.." Tyler bites the inside of his cheek. "I made a deal with the devil."

Tyler can practically hear the priest next to him stiffen.

He continues anyway. "Now, I know this sounds crazy but I swear on anything that it's real." Tyler picks at his nails, pulling off a large hang nail. "I was young and stupid. Desperate for meaning, anything. I felt like dying anyway so I guess I didn't care at the time." He looks down at the finger he just ripped skin from.

Blood. Tyler feels sick.

"I tried to turn to God so many times for help first. He never answered me. Never helped me. I felt like he abandoned me anyway." He lets out an uncomfortable laugh. "So what was the harm, right?" He sucks the blood from his finger. "I just thought that maybe I could help others live, to stay alive, find purpose. I knew I couldn't do it if nobody even knew my name...But now my name became a new destiny to the grave. That's all it is. How I'm gonna die."

The priest clears his throat. "Do you want to die?"

Tyler shakes his head even though he knows the man can't see him. "No, not anymore."

"It's easy for people these days to doubt or question God, to feel like you are selling your soul to the devil by doing so."

Tyler lowly scoffs. Of course the priest assumed it was a metaphor. He should have known better.

"God forgives our sins, son. Your soul knows good and evil, your soul knows both sides, as does God, I promise you."

Tyler cries.

"Do you want to have God in your heart again. To live for him exactly how he wants us to live? To not be a sinner?" Tyler knows what that means, no Josh. He can't love Josh like he does. The bible says that is a sin. He doesn't think so but he's desperate. 

Tyler nods his head. Tyler's a liar.

"I can't give you penance but I can say a blessing for you."

Tyler's determined to live.

 

 **June 2014**  
**Tyler's house**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

Jenna's in the kitchen cooking them supper while Tyler and Josh sit on the couch, planning the setlist for the show at Firefly the following week.

Josh sighs. "Just think, next year the setlists are gonna be completely different." He smiles. "It's exciting but a little overwhelming."

Tyler hums in agreement. Josh is right. He's spent the past year and a half writing this upcoming album and recording most of it. It's completely different than the past ones. He's not even sure anyone is going to like it.

But that doesn't really matter.

It's become his own personal redemption. His final plea to God, to save his soul. To beat the red eyes and blurry face that haunt his dreams every night. They've already decided to do a two year tour for the new album. Shows almost every couple of days. Tyler's determined to make sure God hears him, can't possibly ignore him.

Tyler has hope. Tyler is stupid.

He knows deep down it will just most likely be the legacy he will be leaving behind for good in almost exactly three and a half years.

Josh picks up a notebook off of the coffee table and flips through it. Tyler watches him, smiling. The feeling of nostalgia washing over him. It reminds him of the first night they hung out.

Tyler's going to miss him.

Josh stops on a page. "Is this what you have for the judge so far?

Tyler shrugs his shoulders.

Josh scans over a line. "I don't know if this one is about me or the devil." He looks up at Tyler. "This is really good. It's confusing but I like that." He flips through the notebook some more. "I don't see goner. I'm guessing you haven't even started writing it yet?"

Tyler laughs. It's a fake laugh and he hates it. "Yeah I don't even know what it's gonna be about yet."

Tyler knows.

"Babe?" Jenna calls from the kitchen. "I just got off of the phone with your mom. She said something about a family friend's son. He just died today."

Tyler looks her way. "Yeah? Who?"

"She said it was the Bishop's oldest son. He was some famous football player or something right?"

Tyler pales.

Josh speaks up. "Nate Bishop? Wow. The guy was one of the best quarterbacks in history at Ohio State. Sad."

"What happened to him?" Tyler croaks out, voice hoarse, bile burning the back of his throat.

Tyler doesn't want to know. He has to know.

Jenna walks up behind him and rubs his shoulders. "Died in his sleep. They are thinking it was a heart attack. He was so young. Tragic."

Tyler knows what he has to do on his next birthday.

 

 **December 2014**  
**Unknown location**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

The car ride down the never ending gravel road is alot different this time. Tyler's no longer the cocky and naive little boy as he was the last time. Tyler was stupid. He knows this is a long shot but it's worth a try.

He doesn't need the car radio this time to stay awake. Adrenaline and fear work just fine. He'd rather just sit in silence anyway, trying to go over in his head what he has memorized to say.

As the clock hits three, the trees appear out of nowhere. Tyler hits the breaks and backs up. He grabs the container of blood and gets out of the car.

He immediately gets to work clearing a large circle before painting on the symbol. No directions needed this time. He knows the symbol like the back on his hand now.

Tyler impatiently taps his foot. It's taking longer this time. Nothing is happening. He looks back down at the symbol. It's right so he isn't sure what's going on.

"Tyler!"

Tyler's heart jumps into his throat and he clutches his chest as his gaze is met with the figure once he looks up from the ground. "Jesus!"

The figure smiles. "Oof wrong person I'm afraid."

Tyler bends over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "You have to scare me half to death. You can't just pop up like a normal, whatever you are."

It laughs. Tyler feels bile in his throat. "Well where would the fun in that be?"

Tyler stands back up and they lock eyes again for what feels like forever. "While your eyes are beautiful, Tyler, this isn't going to keep me entertained for much longer. Why are you here?"

"Set me free." Tyler mumbles, no longer feeling the confidence he had built up for the past six months, getting ready for this encounter.

The figure sarcastically cups it's ear and leans forward a little. "Come again?"

Tyler takes a deep breath. "Set me free. I want you to let me out of this deal. Please."

The figure laughs, loudly. Tyler's eardrums hurt. "Wow, I'm not sure what you thought this was but there isn't any backsies when it comes to selling your soul. There's no return policy."

Tyler falls to his knees, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Please. I'm begging you. I'll do whatever or give you whatever you want. I just don't want to die this soon. I'm not the same suicidal kid I was when I came to you. I want to live."

The figure squats down in front of him. Red eyes burning into his. "I can't do that."

Tyler drops his head, tears streaming down. "Why won't you let me go?"

"Because you're mine, Tyler."

Tyler raises his head back up. "I'm insignificant, worth nothing. It wouldn't even really make a difference for you."

The figure sighs and stands back up. "I own you, Tyler."

With that Tyler stands back up too. Hands tightening up into fists. "You don't own me yet. You can undo this. Why are you being so unreasonable?"

The figure points to itself. "Um, hello." It puts it's hands up and does air qoutes. "I'm the devil, remember?" It smiles again. Tyler hates that smile. "And I completely own you already. I own everything about you. You've made it that way. Your music, your dreams..all of your thoughts and emotions. They're mine. You're mine." It practically growls out. 

Tyler shakes his head. It's wrong. It's just trying to upset him...distract him from what he came here to do. "Isn't there another deal we can make? Anything?"

"Sure there is."

Tyler's face lights up.

The figure pats it's body as if it's looking for something before saying in a sing songy way. "Let me just see if I find my fiddle made of gold and we'll play for your soul."

Tyler's face drops. It's now apparent that this is pointless, going nowhere.

It looks up at Tyler. "Oh, don't look at me that way. I'm not the one who sold their soul to me and then came back like a coward trying to break the deal."

"I'm the coward?" Tyler huffs. "You won't even show me your face. Just these red eyes and a blurry face. You're the coward." Tyler's had enough. He's leaving.

He passes the figure and it calls after him. "If I show you my real face now, it will ruin the big finale. That's no fun. Everyone loves a good surprise ending!"

Tyler cries the whole way home. 

 

 **December 1, 2017**  
**Tyler and Jenna's house**  
**Columbus, Ohio**

"Baby? Babe? Tyler? Ty!"

Tyler jumps up, clutching the blankets draped over him, looking around wildly. "What? What's..something wrong?"

Jenna laughs and wraps her arms tightly around him before placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She gets up and straddles him. "It's your birthday!"

Like Tyler needs a reminder of this day, the one he's counted down for the past year. Possibly the last year of his life. He grabs her by the waist and gently pulls her off of him. "I have to go pee."

She pouts as he gets up and makes his way to their bathroom. After he pees, he stops at the mirror. He almost doesn't recognize the person in front of him. Impossibly dark circles under his eyes and slightly sunken cheekbones are a stark contrast to the person he's always seen.

Two hours of sleep a night and whatever food he can manage to keep down will do that.

Jenna is laying out clothes for him when he walks back into their bedroom. "What are you doing?" He tries to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Well." She says walking up to him and running her hands up and down his arms. "I know you're gonna hate this but after lunch, I need you to scram for a few hours."

Tyler groans. "Jenna, I really don't feel like leaving the house today."

Jenna sticks out her bottom lip. "Please? I have to set up your party for tonight and want it to be a surprise."

"I already told you a hundred times that I don't want a party, Jen." It would be almost like all of his closest friends and family celebrating the last day of his life. It felt morbid and wrong. To smile in everyone's face when he knows what's going to happen. He can't say no to her though. "Fine, whatever you want."

Jenna sequels and gives him a kiss.

After lunch Tyler gets in his car and sits there for a while. He doesn't know where to even go. What he want to see for the last time today. There's only one place he knows he can go that's quiet and he really wants to be at today.

Tyler goes back inside quickly to grab his uke. He calls the Newport Music Hall venue owner and asks him if he would open it for him, just for a few hours. Being a celebrity has its advantages so he's told yes, of course.

Sitting down on the edge of the stage, legs hanging over and with his uke in hand, he finds a weird sense of peace. The only peace he's felt in a very long time.

He closes his eyes as he strums the chords and plays whatever comes to mind, singing out to no one. "I'm holding on to what I know, And what I know, I must let go.."

"Ty?"

Tyler startles, almost dropping his uke. "Josh?"

Josh smiles and sits down next to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Well I was about to ask you the same thing?"

"I was going back home from dropping Debby off at your house to help set up for the party and I saw your car here."

Tyler sets his uke down. "Oh."

Josh nudges him with his shoulder. "Someone not happy about turning twenty-nine?"

Tyler shrugs. Not really a question he can answer.

Josh wraps an arm around him in a side hug. "It's just an age, it's not like your life is suddenly gonna be over now. That's not until you turn thirty."

Tyler huffs out a laugh. He's not going to see thirty. He doesn't dare say that out loud. Tyler has felt guilty for a while now about never telling everyone closest to him about all of it. Seems unfair that they don't know what's going to happen. Maybe it would not come to as much of a shock when it happens. Could have helped them mourn easier if they were prepared.

He knows. He knows he would have sounded absolutely crazy though. Tyler has convinced himself that this is better. For he and he alone to carry this burden.

Josh speaks and pulls him out of his thoughts. "You wanna maybe get out of here? I don't know, just to ride around for a while or something?"

Tyler smiles for the first time in a while. "Yeah, let's do that." He grabs his uke and hops down from the stage.

Tyler looks at Josh as he is driving. They've been talking and reminicing about the previous years, laughing. God, it felt good to laugh again. He watches every crinkle of skin as Josh tells a story and smiles. He's trying to soak every second of it up. He guesses this isn't the worst last day of their life someone could have.

Tyler's thankful for that. 

A couple of hours later they pull up in Tyler's driveway. Tyler internally sighs seeing about twenty cars parked at his house. No use fighting it now. If this is going to be his last few hours, he's going out trying to make the most of it.

They walk through the front door and Tyler immediately has to fight back a laugh. It's decorated like a funeral. Fake Halloweenish looking casket in the corner of the living room. There's a large banner hanging that says 'Putting the 20's to rest'. She even had everyone wear black.

He wants to laugh at the irony.

Tyler isn't usually one to drink but he needs alcohol, plenty of it and needs it fast. After a million hugs and hellos, he finally manages to make his way to the makeshift bar set up in the kitchen. He immediately pours whatever alcohol is in the closest bottle, in a cup and throws it back.

His gaze catches Jenna's, who is looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Tyler pours another drink and holds it up, silently cheering her before throwing that one back as well.

He doesn't have much food in his stomach so it doesn't take many more drinks to render him a little drunk. "Woah, Tyler." Josh is wrapping an arm around his waist and guiding him to the table where the food is. "Sit."

Tyler sits.

Josh fixes a few things on a plate for him and sets it down in front of him. "Eat." Tyler pushes it away. Josh squats down in front of him. "Come on, dude. You don't want to get pissy drunk at your party two hours in do you?"

That's exactly what he wants to do.

One look at Josh's puppy dog eyes and Tyler finds himself eating everything on the plate.  
With no more drinks in his system and a full stomach, he's a bit more sober by the time everyone leaves a few hours later.

It's almost midnight. Jenna and Debby are both passed out on the couch, Tyler and Josh are sitting out on his back porch, laying down on the lounge chairs and looking up at the stars. "I'm gonna go pick up Debby from the couch and head home." Josh says trying to stand up.

Tyler quickly gets up and walks over to Josh's chair. He sits down on him, straddling his waist. "Tyler? What are you doing? Are you okay?"

Tyler's shakes his head. Tyler's not okay.

He lays down on Josh, chest to chest. "Tonight... tonight I need you to stay." Tyler puts his face in the crook of Josh's neck, now wet with his tears. "Is that okay?"

Josh rubs his back with one hand in a comforting circular motion. "Yeah. I can do that."

Tyler sniffles and relaxes into the touches. "I don't know how I ever got so lucky to have you in my life. I'm gonna miss you so much."

Josh tightens his grip on him a little and shushes him. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. I've always told you. I'm not going anywhere, ever."

Just as Tyler feels like closing his eyes, Josh grabs his chin, lightly, making him look at his face. He's smiling. "You're mine, Tyler."

Tyler stiffens. "What did you say?"

Josh smiles even wider, grasp firmer around his waist and on his jaw. "I said, you're mine, Tyler."

Realisation hits Tyler like a ton of bricks. _No, no, no, no. This can't be happening._ "You..it's you... you're.." Tears stream down Tyler's face.

Josh let's go of his chin and wipes the tears with his thumb. "I told you the first night we met, well the first, first time, that I like you, Tyler. That you may be seeing me sooner."

Tyler wants to scream. Tyler can't.

"I know you love me and I love you. This way, we can be together, forever." He wipes more tears. "Don't be afraid, we're going home." He flips Tyler over onto his back. They are back to chest now, Tyler's head resting on Josh's shoulder. Josh has a arm wrapped around his waist.

Tyler wants to run. Tyler can't.

"Are you ready?"

Tyler screws his eyes shut, tightly, blood in every part of his body replaced with mind numbing fear. "Will it hurt?"

He feels Josh shake his head. "No, not one bit. I promise you." Josh places a kiss on his cheek. "Open your eyes and look at the stars."

Tyler does.

"Now, when I snap my fingers three times, it will all be over in an instant."

Tyler takes a deep breath and starts silently praying to himself, praying to God, hoping that he'll have mercy on his soul at the last minute.

_I'm sorry._

*snap one*

_Please forgive me._

*snap two*

 _Don't let me be gone_.

*snap three*

Tyler's dead.


End file.
